The biological significance of the Ras oncogene, and the role of both Ras and the enzyme known as farnesyl protein transferase in the conversion of normal cells to cancer cells, are described in PCT International Publication Nos. WO95/00497 and WO95/10516. Each of those publications also describes a distinct class of compounds which inhibit the activity of the enzyme farnesyl protein transferase, and thereby the farnesylation of the Ras protein.
PCT International Publication No. WO95/10516 relates to tricyclic amide and urea compounds of the general formula (1.0) ##STR2## and their use in a method for inhibiting Ras function and the abnormal growth of cells. A number of sub-generic classes of compounds of formula (1.0) are described, which include compounds of the formulae (5.0c), (5.1c) and (5.2a) ##STR3## as well as the 11-R-isomer and 11-S-isomers of compounds (5.0c) and (5.1c). A number of specific compounds within each such sub-genus are also described therein, as is the biological activity of those compounds.